The Sixer Sense
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Jahlil Okafor’s knee soreness is a sore spot with Philadelphia 76ers

By Bret Stuter

CAMDEN, NJ - SEPTEMBER 25: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been desaturated.) Jahlil Okafor #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers poses for a portrait during the Philadelphia 76ers Media Day on September 25, 2017 at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey.NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
CAMDEN, NJ - SEPTEMBER 25: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been desaturated.) Jahlil Okafor #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers poses for a portrait during the Philadelphia 76ers Media Day on September 25, 2017 at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey.NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 9: Jahlil Okafor
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 9: Jahlil Okafor /

Years after knee surgery, Jahlil Okafor’s knee soreness continues to plague the young man. That remains a sore spot with the Philadelphia 76ers as well.

Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor is fighting soreness in his right knee. Again.  Well, maybe again, maybe it never stopped.  But even as the team prepares for the 2017-2018 season, there it is, staring us right in the face. Knee soreness is hindering Jahlil Okafor.  And that is hindering the Philadelphia 76ers

That pain is most disturbing. It’s 68 weeks and counting from the original injury.  Did we miss the fine print on that damned knee surgery? Let’s start investigating.

Failure to communicate

We know that it is a topic that infuriated Jake Pavorsky over at Liberty Ballers.  His scathing article called out the lack of information regarding players and their knees.  What we have here is a failure to communicate.

Okay, that’s a reference to Cool Hand Luke, but you get the picture.  On one hand, a  knee injury with competent surgical intervention is presumed to mend without pain. Even with some lingering soreness, physical therapy should relieve most pain in normal surgeries.

On the other hand, there is a significant percentage of post-knee patients who never stop experiencing pain in the injured knee.  Is that normal for all surgeries? Unfortunately, meniscus surgery is not a normal surgery.  While the arthroscopic version is less invasive, involves a short period of time and two-three small incisions, the knee joint is a complex joint which supports the body weight, controls motion through strong connective ligaments, and acts like a shock absorber. But there is no blood supply to the cartilage. And so, healing is no better than a crawl.